The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-02-23
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
The Answer of the Maine Woman's
Suffrage Association to the Re-
monstrance.

In behalf Of the Maine Woman Suffrage
Association, / address the signers of the re-
monstrance recently sent to the Senate. 1
have read your petition with interest and
surprise-with interest, because we are al
ways glad to read earnest words-with sur
prise, because your statements, made many
times before, have been, in our Judgment,
irrefutabls answered.
We wish to treat your petition and your
selves with the utmost courtesy. We are
compelled, however, to declare that many
facts can be made public which appear to us
to justify our opinion that many of you have
expressed opposition to woman suffrage be-
cause of sentiment and not because of con-
viction, For sentiment, we have respect;
for conviction, we nave reverence. We are
accustomed to hear these words-'I have not
studied the subject. l oppose woman suf-
frage instinctiyely." We courteously ask
you to give greater study to this important
matter That some of you have given some
study, possibly much, we shall not deny, but
our own experience leads us to ask for re
newed study. Many of us have been indif-
ferent and then opposed. Many of us have
found that our prejudices have disappeared
and our opinions changed as we have listened
to earnest orators or read the words of able
writer's. In some cases, our own continued
thought has lead us to acceptance of woman
suffrage from which at first, we shrank.
We are not astonished, therefore, nor
troubled by your opposition. We honor your
earnestness and your action. We would be
glad to enlist your earnestness and your
thoughtfulness in the efforts of our associa-
ton.
Weask you, therefore, and through you
many Others who are opposed to woman suf-
rage, or who think they are, to consid sr
| these points.
First-We who advocate woman suffrage and
| ask the legislature to submit an amendment
| to the constitution to the voters of Maine,
are not indifferent to the dread of calamitous
results slts4 felt by 50 many II women shall be
ject long and earnestly. We have tried to
| trace out effects. The more we have studied
| the clearer has 1t seemed to US that the eff
| fects will be Of vast benefit to the nation.
Second-We are strengthened in our faith
by the knowledge that some of the ablest
and noblest men and women of our times are
ardent advocates of giving the ballot to
| women.
You must know something of the ability
and culture and noble character of Hon. Geo
| vote for President of the United States. Of
George William Curtis and James Freeman
clark and Joseph Cook and Samuel Long
fellow and Phillips Brooks and DR.. Duryea
Of Mary A. Livermore and Julia Ward
Howe wand; and Lucy Stone. and Frances
higher, world, Abraham Lincoln ant
| John Stuart Mill and Bishop Simpson and
Ralph Waldo Emerson. You must know
that in our city and State. leading clergymen
physicians, lawyers, merchants, and some Of
It's noblest and most prominent women are
believers In woman suffrage. We are Otter
| astonlshed in finding distinguished men saw
| ing that they have been woman suffragists fo
years: Surely, we are not unreasonable il
thinking that we belong to noble company
Surely, it is not unreasonable for us, con
verified as some OF US are from your views Il
our present ones, to ask you to recOnside
your objection to woman suffrage.
Inlrd,We propose to you. therefore, I
private houses, and without report in gu
papers, in which the advocacy of your view
and ours can be maintained in earnest an,
| courteous ways.
We have .endeavored to secure, at on
parlor meetings, the presence of thos
who. were opposed to our views. w
shall take measures to have such meeting
continued. We shall be glad to have yol
attend. We shall be also glad to have pub
Hc ucetiug, unuer your auspices or our OWL
at which debate can be held, each side I
select its own speaker. We believe in dis
cussion. We shall welcome all thoughtfu
opposition. We will trust our cause to tn
light of truth.
Fourth-We appeal to women to study tn
question of suffrage and ask their aid in til
use of the ballot, because we believe, AM
believe profoundly, that it is the duty 0
women to he the helpers of men in securin
4 good laws and good executors of law. w
hold that the great body of women are as in
telligent as the great body of men. We hol
that women are more conscientious thai
men. We are sure that if the ballot shall b
given, women under stress of conviction o
duty will use it for the good of the republic
We do not ask women, therefore, to deman
and use the suffrage only because it is thei
right, but because it is their high duty to &c
work with men in affairs of state. Politics
the science of living together nobly. Ma
needs woman's help to secure this result. w
believe large number of women feel thl
now, and that a rapidly increasing numbe
will do so, as full and free and fair dis
cussion prevails. We believe in the iustic
Of our cause. We are sure of its not distan
victory. Let Kansas be our prophet. w
shall welcome you to place in our labor
and to share in our joy when the victor
shall be won. HENRY BLANCHARD,